These Vegetarian Recipes Will Get You Through Every Day of Meatless March
These Vegetarian Recipes Will Get You Through Every Day of Meatless March
There are plenty of reasons to take on Meatless March—whether you want to dial back on red meat, get more creative in the kitchen, or shrink your carbon footprint. But even for casual meat-eaters, cutting back on the stuff can be harder than it seems.
There’s a way to get it done, though. You just have to think beyond your usual proteins. (It also doesn’t hurt that eggs are allowed.) The following Prevention-approved recipes—one for every day of the month—are packed with essential nutrients, interesting flavors, and creative inspiration to get you through breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We promise Meatless March just got a whole lot easier.
September Is the Best Time to Eat Peppery Arugula—Here’s How to Use It
13) Spiced Grilled Eggplant With Fresh Tomato Salad
This tangy eggplant dish should be the star of your plate the next time you grill. Pair it with a wild rice salad for a complete—and completely filling—meal.
Get the recipe for Spiced Grilled Eggplant With Fresh Tomato Salad ?
7) Curried Carrot-Lentil Soup
This filling soup may look simple, but its ingredients are anything but boring: beta carotene-rich carrots, high-fiber red lentils, and anti-inflammatory turmeric. There’s even immune-boosting lime and sinus-clearing cayenne, making it the perfect sick-day treat.
Get the recipe ?
4) Veggie-Loaded Chickpea Waffles
Just one of these low-carb waffles packs more protein than an egg (at 85 calories a pop!). Savor every veggie-loaded bite, avoid hitting a carb slump before noon, and stay full all morning long.
15) Pasta with Pumpkin and Parmesan
Dinner, meet fall. This dreamy, buttery pumpkin sauce is everything store bought mushroom agnolotti needed for a perfect bite.
6) Asian Tofu with Baby Bok Choy
The next time you need an excuse to turn on the oven, try out this vegetarian sheet pan dinner. While the tofu alone would be delicious, the bok choy is the real star here, offering a hefty dose of greens (and tons of vitamins and minerals) not often seen in other baked dishes.
7) High-Protein Veggie Burger
There’s nothing quite like a juicy burger, but this veggie-powered dupe gets pretty close. Even better, each patty packs in 16 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber. Add a lettuce bun and you’re all set.
2) Quinoa, Black Bean, and Avocado Salad
This make-ahead salad looks impressive on the plate, but takes moments to throw together for a summer-forward side. Quinoa and black beans offer hearty, filling fiber, while tomato and cilantro deliver freshness with each bite.
27) Spinach-Curry Crepes
Say bonjour to these curry-powered crepes, which you’ll make from scratch in just 40 minutes. Filled with tons of veggies and fruits, they’re guaranteed to get Mom’s seal of approval.
10) Butternut Squash & Spinach Toasts
Take your toast up a notch with Gruyère cheese, butternut squash, spinach, and an egg cooked to perfection for the ideal balance of fat, carbs, and protein.
11) Sweet and Sticky Tofu Noodle Bowl
There’s often an assumption that vegetarian recipes just aren’t satisfying, but this noodle bowl proves that thought wrong. Skip the Chinese takeout (and piles of salt) and whip up this easy, protein-rich dish instead.
20) Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Hear us out: This satisfying salad actually makes for great comfort food without compromising on calories. As a side dish or even a main course, it’s got everything you’d want from a cold-weather meal, including crispy chickpeas, vibrant citrus, and savory Parm.
13) Vegan Farro Risotto with Fennel, Peas, and Greens
Coconut milk, farro, fennel, peas, walnuts, and greens combine into a creamy vegan dream in this veggie-loaded take on risotto.
14) Jalape?o Poblano Salsa Verde
Salsa verde is basically the platonic ideal of a snack, but the real appeal of this treat is as a full meal (stacked on top of your favorite vegetarian protein inside romaine cups) or as a show-stealing topping (maybe even on that veggie burger from above).
1) Chard Breakfast Skillet with Egg, Onion, and Tomato
Step away from the spinach and try Swiss chard as the green in your egg dish. For barely any cals, you get a whole lot of nutrients, including calcium and vitamin A. With onions and tomatoes, this is a nice breakfast medley, cooked in a cast iron skillet.
Get the recipe for Chard Breakfast Skillet with Egg, Onion, and Tomato ?
8) Roasted Pumpkin and Pomegranate Salad with Pumpkin Seed Oil Vinaigrette
The pumpkin seed vinaigrette is the star of this seasonal salad packed with pumpkin and pomegranate. Be sure to swap in vegan cheese or skip it altogether to keep this side vegan-friendly.
17) Veggie Pita Pizzas
Top whole grain pitas with sauce, your favorite veggies, and a sprinkle of cheese for a healthy take on pizza that’s bursting with flavor (and ridiculously easy to make).
18) Spinach and Wild Rice Soup with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Too many soups sneak meat in for no reason. You won’t even miss the stuff in this spinach and wild rice soup, which gets its irresistible flavor from homemade pesto and porcini mushrooms.
19) Vegetarian Egg Muffins
Breakfast needs a disruption. These fluffy egg muffins are just what you’ve been waiting for, especially with 18 grams of filling protein a pop. They’re also endlessly customizable, so be sure to experiment with your favorite add-ins.
20) Cashew, Tofu, and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Swapping in tofu for chicken works almost too well in this stir-fry, which boasts plenty of protein and iron. And amazingly, the whole thing only takes 20 minutes to throw together. It’s a weeknight win.
21) Spelt Salad with Apples and Pine Nuts
We love an ancient grain, especially when it’s prepared in a light but filling salad. This modern take on spelt doesn’t even require any overnight soaking—you can get right to cooking, saving valuable time.
1) Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad
Vitamin C-packed berries and creamy mozzarella add a nutritious, summery twist to a barbecue staple. A hint of mint and white balsamic take this one to new flavor heights.
3) Spinach Tomato Frittata
"Even though protein is one of the most helpful nutrients for helping you feel full longer, it’s woefully absent in many breakfast foods, so you really have to try to work it in," says Ansel. "Eggs are a great pick." There's so much goodness packed into this egg-based beauty—and it comes together in just 15 minutes! Each serving has a whopping 23 g of protein, plus it's full of veggies: not just spinach and tomatoes, but scallions too. And the mozzarella is a tasty bonus.
27) Cheesy Avocado Omelette
Who doesn’t love an omelette? This one is a perfect mix of healthy ingredients, but its main draw is being absolutely packed with protein and fiber, meaning a day with zero cravings.
26) Corn, Mango, and Edamame Salad
High in protein and deliciously buttery, edamame is an easy way to replace meat. Combined with corn, mango, and red onion, it makes for a crave-able, low-calorie salad that could work alongside any meal.
27) Spinach Salad with Warm Blackberry Vinaigrette
By the end of March, you’re ready for the first few warm days of spring. Get a head start with this delicate spinach salad covered in all kinds of goodies, including beans, berries, and feta.
28) Jillian Michaels’ Avocado Toast
Fitness guru Jillian Michaels knows her away around the gym and the kitchen. This avocado toast recipe is simple, meat-free, and surprisingly filling—ideal for mornings on the go.
31) Creamy Pumpkin Peanut Soup
If you didn’t know pumpkin and peanuts were a match made in heaven, now you know. Serve this fall comfort food in 30 minutes flat.
30) Broccoli Cheesy Bake
Somehow, this creamy, filling bake only takes 35 minutes to make—and is only 91 calories per serving. The secret is riced broccoli, which, combined with parmesan and mozzarella, is the perfect side dish in a comforting meal.
31) Sugar Snaps, Radishes and Edamame with Lemon Butter
The colors on this plate are practically screaming with nutrition. Sugar snap peas and edamame are two of our favorite legumes, and combining them with sharp radishes and lemon butter makes them all the better.
Meat-free doesn’t have to mean unsatisfying.